!^^^^„: 




EHOBOTH BY THE RIVER. 



>.,.BY o.. 



r{EV. JOHH siMoWsofi powicSo.^o. 



', ' . > 



POCOMOKE CITY, MD. : 



1897 



Rehobotli by the River. 



FOE the purpose of erecting a Monument to 
the memory of Francis Makemie, the Father 
of the American Presbyterian Church, at Reho- 
hotb, Maryland, the Session . of said Church offers 
this Book, — the" History of Kehoboth Church — for 
sale at Twenty-five cents per copy, hoping this 
may be supplemented by good Presbyteriaurs, feel- 
ing interested in our enterprise by a contribution 
to such extent as they may feel able. A list of 
all contributions will be placed in the monument, 
also published in one of our Church ptvpers. E. 
(t. Polk, Clerk of Sessioji, has been appointed 
Treasurer. All donations and subscriptions to the 
Book may be forwarded to him at Pocomoke 

City, Maryland. 

By Order of Session, 

Ret. J. S. HowK, D.I)., Moderator, 
r E. G. Polk, — • 
E LDEKS I E. W. Adams, 

E. S. Broughtok. 



r-'-r 



[Copyright 1897,] 

BY 

JOHN SIMONSON HOWK 



f5Mr'04 



" Our mission was from Jesus Christ, 
and warranted from the Scriptures." 

— Makemie. 



POCOMOKE CITY, 
LEDGER-ENTRBPRTSE. 



PREFACE. 

This little sketch is sent forth with the purpose of 
arousing in Presbyterian hearts a greater interest in a 
church which lias well been called "The Mother of Ten 
Thousand Churches." Jhe American Presbyterian 
Church can never pay the debt of gratitude she owes to 
Francis MaKemie. The founder of our church in this 
country has gone to claim a brighter reward tlian any 
earthly crown. The little church he organized, built 
loved ministered to, and sought to provide for even 
a ter his death, is with us still and should not be suffered 
to (lie ot neglect. 

I wish especially to acknowledge tl,e kindness an<l 

valuable assistance of Rev. Dr. Bowen, the author of 

Da.vs of Makemie," and the pioneer in this research 

tuul express my gratitude to all other kind friends who 

have g,ven n,e information. This is the tir.st attempt to 

T ',",'^''"' ""■ *■'"■'" f''"'" "'« '"■.Sinninv- concern- 
-ng he old Rehohoth church. It has taken much care 
and labor ,n consulting meagre records to reach anvthin.- 
like certaimy, hut it is believed the result will be 'found 
substantially a,.cu,ate, and containing, much ,h,„ h ' 
iK'vc!' appc-ircd in print. 




X 



"REHOBOTH BY THE RIVER."— Gen. 36 : 37. 

(^ ® ^) 

%f'F we leave our Nation's capitnl and take our course 
Jpi Southward upon the broad Potomac,, witlj its 
picturesque and wooded slopes, past Alexandria 
and the historic heights of IMt. Yeinon, and, still fur- 
ther on .tlie birthplace of Wiishington, in Westmore- 
land County ; if leaving these we follow Ihe tortuous 
windings of the river till it opens on t!ie Chesapeake ;as 
we gain (he bay we find ourselves confronting shores 
that should be endeared to ever}' Presbj'terinn heart as 
the early ciadle of our mighty Cljurcli in its infancy 
upon this Continent. Just op,posite the mouth of ihe 
Potomac lies 'J'angier Sound, running north and south 
behind an island barrier, and Pocomoke Sound, in li- 
ning nearlj- east and west. Crossing the siiallow, 
muddy flats at the eastern extremity of Pocomoke 
Sound, we would enter a swift and narrow stream, 
whose dark-hued waters g;ive the Indian name of Poo- 
moke to the Sound and River, as well as to the little 
town that lay around tiie venerable Church. .As- 
cending the singula)' river, whose waters would lloit 
a war vessel — tiie deejiest river in ti.e u'orld in pro- 
j)ortion to its length and width — we come to the 
scene of this sketch, at a distance of about ten miles 
from its tnouth. Mere, disembarking, let us look 
ujton the quaint, time-honored structure, and gather 
Up its greetings from the past. 

These regions were inhabited, at the titne of our 

1 



2 

first liisloricMl iicHjiuiintHiice willi them, by Indians 
of tlie Xaiilicoke ralion. who look their tiilml oairie 
froiri the river — Tocoinoke. 8ehn.-ti;iii Cabot passed 
along the sea coast in 1498. but the first white ir)en 
to explore tiie Sound and River were :i party under 
the connnand of the redoubtable ('ai)tain John Sniilh, 
who entered (he river in scaixdi of fiesh water, in 
1008. Landing:: probably at the old IndiiUi town a 
short distance below Rehoboih, Smith bargained with 
the ^avi^ges for the precious fluid, but desciibes with 
some disgust the "puddle water, ' which wns the best 
the countiy could offer. This same river, on the 
2l>d of April. 10135, was (he scene of a miiiinture Uiival 
battle between two vessels of Governor Calvert's 
and one of Willinnj Chiyborne's, and several juen were 
slaii!. 

After the seltlement of iNlarvland upon the Western 
Sliore of the Ciiesnpeake, in lOiU, the first incident 
which affected the history of tiiis ]-e.uion was the 
famous lieligious Toleration Act of 1019. This was 
the liist declaration of its kind made bj^ any govern- 
ment in tlie worJd, Enacted under Governor Stone 
and at (he time of Croiiwell's })re-euiinence. it was 
was perhaps brought about through Lord Baltimore's 
desire to save those of his own Catholic faith from 
persecution, while, in the providence of God, it re- 
sulted in making these lands a refuge for the op- 
pressed and persecuted of every nation. The follow- 
ing is the wording of the great Act : 

'' ^^'IIl;l;l■:As, 'Jhe enforciiig of the conscience ih 
iDaKeisof leligion iiath fretiuently fallen out to be 
of dangerous consequence in tiioso Colninonwealths 
wijojp \i lifliii \looi^ j)r*^<jUced i and fgr t.ho »t'.o»*o Tni^^ 



3 

and penceable governmeat of tliis Province, nnd tlie 
better to preserve mutual love and unit}' amongst the 
inhabitants here : Be it, therefore, by the Lord Fro- 
prietary, with the advice and assent of this Assembly, 
ordained and enacted, that no person or persons what- 
soever within this Province, or the islands, ports, har- 
bors, creeksor liavens thereinito belonging, professing 
to believe in Jesus Christ, shall from henceforth be 
any ways troubled, molested or discountenanced, for 
or in respect of his or her religion, nor in the free 
exercise thereof within this Province or the islands 
thereunto belonging, nor any waj' compelled to the 
belief or exercise of any other religion against his or 
lier conscience." 

In contrast witli this, the lavvs of the neighboring 
colony of Virginia were very sevei-e against Qual<ers 
and other dissenters, with penalties for abseniing 
themselves from the established Church or "assem- 
bling to the nutnber of five for the purpose of re- 
ligious worship," of heavy fines, imprisonment., or 
even banishment Irom the Pj'ovmce Under such 
conditions it was only natui'al tiiat but few dissenters 
wei'e to be found upon the Virginia peninsula, while 
upon that part within the province of Maryland, 
besides Episcopalians, the first settlers w'ere Quakers 
'uud English dissenters, to be added to later on by 
those fleeing from persecution in Ireland, and tlie 
French Huguenots escaping from the second persecu- 
tion under Louis XIV, As early as 1656 we can find 
evidence of but a few scattered settletnents iiere, and 
certainly none of any assetnblies for worship. 

About this time occurred the visit of Rev. Francis 
Doughty to Maryland. There seems to be consider- 
able doubt as to his movements. He seems to have 



come to I lie Woi=tGrn Shore nbout 1057, aiut resided 
for a tiirie on tlie Patiixent, preacliing to a mixed 
congregation of Puritans. Tliis makes it ver}' iin- 
liUei\' thjit lie oven attemjDted to organize a Presbj'- 
terian church there, for, as Dr. Bowen saj's, at that 
tin)e "'Independency hjited Presbyteriiinism as much 
as it did Prelacy. " Doughty afterwards went to the 
K;istern Sliore of Virginia, and his name is to be 
found upon tlie Xorthampton Court Records. Both 
theie and upon tlie Western Sliore he ministered to 
tlie E!)iscopalians, and, tliough a Presbyterian, con- 
formed sufficiently to be classed by Bishop Meade in 
Jiis "Old Churches and P'amilies of Virginia." as one 
ol their own clergy. I'his svas not such an unusual 
thing at that date, but it shows that the bent of 
])oughty's mind was evidently not at that time to- 
ward a separate organization. Later they complain 
of him as a Xonconformist. He is said to have died on 
the Eastern Shore of Virginia about IGOl. 

Meanwhile the settlements were growing in south- 
eastern Maryland. Colonel William Stevens, a native 
of Buckinghamshire, England, patented the Ilehoboth 
})!antation as his home in 1GG5, tauing its name from 
(ienesis 2G :22 : "And he removed from thence and 
digged another well, and for that they strove not ; 
and he called the name of it Jlehobnth ; and he said, 
For now the Lord hath made koom for us and we 
shall be fruitful in the land." Colonel Stevens was 
a man of wealth and great prominence, lie seems 
to ijave bee!i undoubtedly a Presbyterian, and some 
think lie was later on a Ruling Elder, but of this tiie 
writer can find no record. Of his love for religion 
and sympatliy with the oi)pressed there can be no 
doubt. With the organizat'on of the county of 
Somerset in IGGG, he was made Judge of the County 



D 

Court, which position he retnined until his death. 
He Wiis buried in 1GS7, on his tiirm about a lialf mile 
from the church. Public benefactor though he was 
even Inn tomb was lost to view, and so late as Feb- 
ruary 13, 1853, Rev. James L. Yallandigliam, D. D., 
JAjD., at that tinie pastor of the church, located 
the spot, and removing the earth which then covered 
the simplemarbleslab disclosed to view the following 
inscription : 

HERE LYETH THE BODY OF 

WILLIAM STEVENS, ESQ., 

AVHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE THE 

^3d OF DECEMBER, 1687, 

AGED 57 YEARS. 

He was 22 years Judge of this County 

Court, one of His Lordship's Councill, 

and one of the Deputy Lieutenants of this 

Province of Maryland. 

A'ivit post P'unera Virtus. 

It seems only proper tiiat the Presbyterian 
Church, the county of Somerset, and the State of 
INIaryland should take some step in recognition of 
his prominence and long and faithful services, to 
guard this iiistoric relic from oblivion^ 

In 16G7, Hichard Stevens, a younger brother of 
the Colonel, died and wns buried in the same burial 
ground, but no trace of his grave has as yet been 
found, Tlie ruins of the house of Colonel Stevens 
are, ho'vever, plninly to be distinguished, not far from 
the grave. I'he farm is at present (1897) owned by 
Mr. David Shaw, a member of the Rehoboth Presby- 
terian Church. 



As enrly ns 1()70, as the ScoIcIk Seotch Irish, 
FreJich and Quakers continued to seek these friendly 
shores, a small hnnilet was growing up at the great 
bend of the river, known at first as Pocomoke Town 
but a little later taking the name of the Stevens 
plantation — Rehoboth. Tiie prominence of Colonel 
Stevens in the colony made it a i)lace of importance 
far beyond its size. The names that have come down 
to us from the early records of the place show the 
mixture there of the different nationalities mentioned. 
Presbyterians were certainly settled there, and gain- 
ing in numbers, but they were mostly quite poor or 
had lost their property by confiscations during the 
period of persecution. Nevertheless, the longing for 
puie gospel preaching soon manifested itself in a 
niarked way. 

Encouraged, as it seems, by their righteous Judge, 
we find it set forth on the Somerset County records, 
that the Grand Jury in 1G72, through their foreman, 
David Brown, a Scotchman and certainly a'Presby- 
terian, called Rev. Robert JNJaddux to preach at four 
l)laces in the county. One of these places was "the 
liouse of Ml-. William Stevens at Pocomoke" — that is, 
of course, Rehoboth. We have good ground lor 
claiming Robert Maddux as a Presbyterian, and it is 
a matter of record that he preached statedly at 
Rehoboth in J072. There was, however, no church 
building or organization. 

A little later George Fox, the great Apostle of the 
Quakers, sought these shores, and went from place to 
l):ace preaching. The people thronged to hear this 
wonderful man. He came to Rehobuth, where the 
great sympathetic heart of William Stevens made 
room for him, and there, on the 23d of January 1()73, 
as Colonel Stevens tells us, he preached to acongrega- 



tion of several thousand whites and Indians, and tlie 
Quakers established a monthly meeting tJiere. The 
settlement of Pennsylvania in ]6(S1 soon drew them 
away. Colonel Stevens graphically describes the zeal 
and earnestness of Fox, as he stood in the doorway of 
the house i)reaching, in hisiamous "'leather breeches." 
The period from ]67o to 1679 was one of steady 
growth and prosperity for the little community at 
Hehoboth. Popish i)lots, persecutions and counter- 
persecutions continued to disturb the unhappy peo- 
ple of Great Britain and Ireland, and in consequence 
the settlement was enlarged by the addition of other 
Presbyterian families fleeing to this hayen of rest. 
There is no doubt that Colonel Stevens sought to 
direct them hither by express invitation. At last, in 
1680, he sought furtljer lo provide for tJieir spiritual 
needs, writing himself to the Presbytery of Laggan, 
in Ireland, and desiring them to send over a godly 
minister to gather the congregation of exiles into a 
church. This presbytery was enduring the tires of 
persecution to such an extent between 1681 and 1684 
as to have resolved to emigiate in a body to the ne\V 
world. In June 1681 several of the members were itl 
prison, and we can find no recoids of their meetings^ 
for several years. Persecution was especially severe 
against Rev. Wm. Trail, the clei-k of the Presbytery, 
who lay in prison for eight months, and was burned 
in effigy about the beginning of June, 1682, shortly 
after liis release. ])r Hays iti ''Piesl>yterians" says 
he came to these parts in 1682, but thetiist recoi'd of 
his presence here is a marriage solemnized by him in 
December, 1681. It does not seein at all likely that 
he preceded Kev; Francis Makemie. Makemie was 
licensed in the latlef part of 1681, and ordained soon 
ftflfr? aii4 Ual| wUh th© puypoie of ^e}i«?J'i^ Hjm ^^ r 



missionary to Somerset county, in response to Colonel 
Stevens' request. He was certninly in Ireland as late 
as A])ril 1082, and was at Eehoboth in J 083. If 
Trnil had nccompanied or preceded him, Rev. 8nmuel 
McMaster, who was for many years the pastor of 
Makemie's daugliter, would have known of it. He 
wrote a "Hi.story of the Rehohoth Church," being at 
the time also pnstor at Snow Hill and Pitts Ci-eek. 
Tliis book IS unfortunately lost, but the f;ict of his 
singling out this one of his three charges w^ould go 
to >show that it was the oldest. In addition lo this, 
however, the few extracts from th;it History which 
are yet extant nssert that the first Presbyterian con- 
giegation was at Ilehobotii, and that Mnkemie was 
the tn-st pastor of that chuioh. In 1083, the town 
took another step forward, being made a port of entry. 
The writer has not the slightest wish to takeanything 
from the proper honors of Snow Hill, but l)is inves- 
tigations have all resulted in establishing the superior 
im})ortance of Rehoboth at tliat date. Of the five 
ports of entry nnmed in 1(583, Rehoboth is the only 
one now in existence. Snow Hill is not one of them, 
but in 1680 "Burrowstown" is "untowned" juui its 
honors given to Snow Hill, which after that begins 
to grow in importance, and calls Samuel Davis as iier 
Presbyteriiui pastor. These are all mntters of lecord. 
Francis Makeniie was a man of great force 
of cljaracter, and his works do testify of him. Pie is 
described as liaving a ty})ical Irish face ;. brown wav- 
ing hair, ijigh intellectual forehead, fair complexion, 
exi)ressive blue eyes, and a smooth face. The only 
'jiortrait in existence was destroyed by lire early in 
!tlie present century. 116 was a man of earnest piety 
hnd a sterling advocate of the doctrines of the West- 
mi nster Confessi»)n. Ho \vn'- ♦horonghly widei'\wake, 



9 



iictive in maintaining his rights, careful and prudent 
in business matters, with a talent for leadership and 
organization. He had Jiot been long in this country 
before we can perceive the impress of a master hand. 
He was not content with tlie organization of Ileho- 
both church, but traveled about from place to place, 
})ecoming acquainted with the needs of the country 
from the Carolinns and Barbndoes northward as far 
MS INIassachusetts. He organized churches at Pitts 
Creek, Snow Hill, Manokin, and Wicomico according 
tore'ijtble tradition. There is also a otrong tradition 
that he erected a "meeting house" at Steven's Ferry, 
now Pocomoke City, about eight miles above Reho- 
both. The early name of this place was Meeting 
House Landing, which would of itself indicate that 
either Quakers or Presbyterians hiid a house of wor- 
shi{) there, and other facts go to show it was the 
Presbyterians. It seems very ceitaiu that tliere was 
a church building tiiere, and it may have dated from 
Makemie's time, but a careful weighing of the best 
information obtMinai)le would place its erection not 
earlier than 170G. If it wiis'erected then, it would 
seem to have been an experiment, and soon abandon- 
ed as a legular place of worship. Ancestors of some of 
the oldest heads are said to have attended worship 
there about 1745, but these may have been the 
special revival meetings under Kobinsoii and Davies. 
Some ruins of the building, it is said, remained in 
1800. No recordsman be fuund to substantiate this. 

On the other hand there is good evidence of a 
Presbyterian pastor, church organization and build- 
ing, at Ivehoboth in 1G83. Makemie was soon fol- 
lowed, probably ;tt liis own request, by William 
Trail and S.imuel J)avis, who are recorded as in 
Someiset County in 1G81, and by Thomas Wilson 



10 

l)().«!<il)lv in tlie same year. About IGSO Mnkemio 
(lei);trted on a prencliing tour southwaid, and Trail 
took c'hnige of Rehoboth chnrcli in the same year, 
takinii up his residence on tiie farm lie i)ad just pur- 
chased about a mile below Kehoboth, near the Jen- 
kins property. Colonel Fi-ancis Jenkins, a justice 
and another n)en)ber of "His Lordshii)'s Councill." 
and his young wife. J^ndy Mary, daughter of Sir 
Jiobert. King, contributed, by their lesidence, to the 
growing importance of Rehoboth. Tiietowu received 
a severe blow in the death of Colonel Stevens in 1G87. 
William Trail continued in charge of the church 
until lost), when the desolate condition of the Scotch 
churches led him to return to his native bmd, leav'ng 
his wife to sell their farm and follow him as soon as 
siie could be assured it was safe to return. At this 
l)eriod, from 1(386 to 1698, Samuel Davis was minister 
nt Snow Hill and Thomas Wilson at Mnnokin. In 
1690 ]\Ial<emie, who had leturned to the Eastern 
Shore, was living at Miitcbatank, Va., but on Trail's 
departure he resumed |)re:iching at Rehoboth, though 
still continuing to reside in Virginia^ In 1691 he 
marr'ed Naomi Anderson, and after this seems to have 
resided at Rehoboth until 1699, when apparently be- 
cause of Air. Anderson's death and his inheritance of 
the vast estate, he removed ag;iin across the river and 
continued to reside at the Anderson i)l!ice, now Hol- 
den's ('reek, until his (le;ilh, in 1708. In all this 
time he continued to pieach at Rehoboth, though 
frequently jibsent. Once, in 1705, lie was absent for 
ne;uly a .year in Europe returning with Joiin Hamp- 
ton, who took charge at Snow Hill, and (Jeorge Mac- 
nislj, who went to Manokin. In 17(H). he had the 
new church building at Rehoboth -, which is the one 
pM).1 9tivn«?Jng:, ofRc'x^^ npoii hin vwi» Iru^Jj to prQlo^it 



11 

it from the intolerant laws wiiich had then for some 
yeai'c^ prevailed in Maryland^ In the same year he 
organized the first General Presbytery of Americi , 
at Piiiladeipliia , and was chosen its first Moderator. 
He was freqnentlj' in correspondence with iho->9 
across the ocean, obtaining men and means for the 
better organization of the young churcli. In 1707, 
Makemie and Hampton were imprisoned and Make- 
mie was tried by the infamous Lord Corn bury, in 
New York, for the crime of preaching the gos[)el and 
baptizing a child without his permission. Though 
finally declared not guilty , he was in the end sentenc- 
ed to pay costs amounting to about four hundred 
dollars. The verdict aroused popular indignation. 
The trial was a severe strain to Makemie , and , after 
his return home his health gradually failed. He 
drew up his will April 27th, and it was probat<^d 
August 4th , 1708. He died in the latter part of 
July. In his will , he remembered his church at 
Rehoboth, and deeded it the lot on which the present 
church stands. The vvatermill , though dating from 
his times, appears to have been the property of Colonel 
Stevens. 

The death of Makemie was a blow to the church 
as a whole, as well as his own particular charge. A 
worthy successor was soon, however, ui)on the field 
at Rehoboth, in the person of Rev. John Henry , who 
entered upon the charge in the latter part of 170S. 
He " stood high as a divine and as a citizen , and his 
descendants have stood well in the community/" ()i\e 
of them was for a time the governor of the State. 
He married Colonel Jenkins' widow, Lady Alary. 
This lady was greatly endeared to Makemie, and he 
had in his will directed that, in case his wife should 
die, Mrs. Jenkins should have charge of their chil- 



12 

dren. llcv. and IMrs. Henry Iiiid (wo sons, Robert 
Jenkins Mnd Jolin Henry, both men of prominence. 
Colonel llobert Jenkins Hen.ry afterwards became an 
elder in the Kebobotli ehnrch. This church is repre- 
sented as bavin grilling elders from the very first, but the 
names are not mentioned. It is thought tiiat Colonel 
Stevens may have held this office, but the only ones 
positively so designated on record are Pierce Bray, in 
J701, and IMoses Fenton,in 1708. l\ev, John Henry 
was the author of a manuscript volume of abt)nt 500 
pages entitled "Common Place," containing a defense 
of the Confession of Faith. It was in existence about 
182y.. but seems to have been lost. John Heiuy died 
in 1717, and the church fell to tlie charge of llev. 
John Hampton, then minister at Snow Hill. In 
June, 1719, John Clement was ordained to the minis- 
try and settled at Rehoboth, William Stewart was 
al the same time ordained and placed in charge of 
the Manokin church. Clement proved unworthy, 
and was deposed for drunkenness and imniorality 
after only a few months. It was not such an unusual 
thing in clergymen of that day, sad to S'riy. but it was 
something that no Presbyterian clergyman could do 
iinpunishedc For this reason Clement's name is not 
included in the list of Hehoboth's ministers. John 
Hampton of Snow Plill resumed the charge, and, 
marrying his predecessor's widow, came to Rehoboth 
to live. His health soon failed a id he died in 1722, 
his widow surviving him until 1741:. The grave of the 
beautiful Mary Hampton is to be seen to-day, with the 
stone still legible, in a field near Rehoboth, on her old 
l)lantation. The remains should be removed to the 
church where her husbands ministered in succession. 
After this the Rev. AVilliam Stewart of the Ma- 
nokin church of Princess Anne preached at Reho- 



both until his death in ITIU. Mi'. Stewart was ah 
able, energetic man) and had been ordained to the 
nnnistry.-some years befoie, in the church he was now 
Ciilied to add to his charge. After liis death, Rev. 
Patrick Glnseow , his successor at Manokin, preached 
occasionally at Eehobuth, until he left that field in 
174:1. The old Presbytery of l^ewes had been erected 
in 1735. In 17-11 catne the division of the Synod 
between Old and New Sides, and it caine with hurtful 
force upon the weak, struggling churches of the 
Peninsula ; so that in 1745 nearly all of them, includ- 
ing llehoboth, were vacant. About this time Revs. 
^Villiam jvobirison and Samuel Davies came down 
the Peninsula on a Presbyterian evangelistic tour, and 
their work was greatly blessed. They held meetings 
of great fervor in " the churches in Somerset" especi- 
ally. Of some of these meetings Samuel Davies 
wrote ; "A most glorious displa}' of grace. I never 
saw such a deep spreading concern in my life. In 
the extremity of a cold winter, tlie attendance was 
numerous and the people unwearied ; the indications 
of distress iuid joy were plain. Those were the 
happiest days of my life." No doubt Rehoboth shar- 
ed in the refreshment of tliese wonderful meetings , 
whicli continued at intervals until 1717. Such was 
the strengthening of the fields that in 1717 Rehoboth 
united with Manokin in callirg Rev. John Hamble- 
ton aspasior. Mr. Hambleton continued in the charge 
until 1757, but ver3^ little can be found on record 
concerning these years. It appeal's that Mr. Ham- 
bleton also preached at Snow HilL In one of his 
communions, as was the custom, he was assisted bj^ 
another minister, Rev. John Erskin, who received 
two pounds for his services. Mr. Hambleton attend- 
ed Synod in 1750. In 1752 Rev. Hugh Henry visited 



u 

liio field , and lie wns called ns the next pastor of 
^Minokin and llehobotli in 17ij8. Nchemiah King 
and Colonel lli)bert .fenkins Menry of the Rehohotli 
session presented the call before Pi'eshytery. Hngh 
llem-y \v,.s in Jio way related to his predecessor Jolui 
lltMwy or the latter's son who presented the call. 
}i\ 1759 iMr. Henry was assisted at coniinnnion by 
the Jlev. J(^hn Harris. In ]7()o Mr. Henry died* 
In ]7()4: Rev. Jacob Ker wasinstalled pastor of Mano- 
kin and Wicomico, by Presbytery, meeting at Princess 
Anne, Nov. 3d. Rev. John Miller preached, and Jlev. 
John Harris delivered the charge. Mr. Ker. who 
was a man of mnch force of character continued to 
sup])ly Rehoboth, though not as regular pastor, until 
177!). He afterward continued in charge at Princess 
Anne until his death in 1795. Air. Kerwasa patriot, 
and showed it in his sernions. He was a friend of 
Mrs. Anne Holden, Makemie'^ daughter, and in 
1788 she left him twenty poinids, in her will. The 
Handys of Princess Anne are descendants of Jacob 
Ker. For a short time in i79(j Rev. JDhn Collinsj 
i\ir. Ker's successor, supplied Rehoboth in turn with 
Rev. Samuel Mc Master, who became i)astor of the 
Show Hill , Pitts Creek and Rehobotli churches in 
1779, after supplying them for a year or two. Messrs. 
Ker and McMaster, the pastor- of the revolutionary 
peiiod, were great frieiids, and assisted one another at 
communion seasons They both preache.l "political 
s.ormo!)s" of a very Whiggish turn, Cv)nsidering it 
their duty to educate the c )nscie;ic3s of their [)eople ; 
and both were held in high esteam ^.lierefor. In 
si>iie of the disturbel state of the c )uiitry, it was one 
of the bright periois of t!ie little church at Rehoboth . 
Wiiile there was a general dearth of religious teachers, 
yet her wants were supplied. From the diary of 



15 

I\I;iry Spoiice, of Snow Hill, at jilHUit this (iir.c wo 
liiid record of Mr. McMaster preaehiDp: le^ularly and 
adniiTiistering the comiDUMion nt. Eehobotli. After 
Ills marriage Mr. MoMaster resided on the old place 
which today bears liis !iaiije, abr)nt midway between 
the two extreme points of his char,ue. He was a 
member of the General Assembly in 179J- and 180(5, 
being each time placed on tiie comiDiltee on Bills 
and Overtnies. He is described as being in a[)pe;ir- 
ance a man of somewhat over medium lieight aiid 
weight, of sm.ooth face, and bald. His eyes weie 
bright and laughing, and his voice and manner w^cre 
gentle and jovial. He died at his home in 181J, 
leaving >pent more than half his life in tlie one charjje. 
A memorial tablet is erected to Jiis memory in the 
Pitts Cjeek Presbyteiian church at Pocomoke, and 
his remains were recer.tlv removed nnd interred in 
the Presbyterian cemetery at tliat pl'tce. Thus [tnss- 
ed away a stui'dy friend of Rehoboth, and the ('Id 
cluirch's first historian. How de})lorable that this 
iiistoi'3, com})i!ed doubtless imder the oversight of 
Makemie's daughter, has been lost I 

About tins period the oldei- meujbejs place tlie elder- 
ship of Ivalph Miibourne and Stephen Collins. I'he 
latter is still celebiated as t lie ''Deaf l^lder, " and it is 
Pnid that an acc(uintof Jiis life has been in pripit, but 
the writer was unable to obtain a copy. Tlie \ ear 1812, 
while aj'jparentlv 'passed without legular |)reaching 
at Rehoboth, was one which deej^ly effected the 
futuie of the old church, in witnessing the inaugui'a- 
lioii of a movement for ministerial education tlisit 
furnished it with most of its ministeis in the days to 
come. 

jn May 1813, Rev. Stuart Williamson was installed 



1() 

Creek and Eeliobulb, but lie died after n brief iilness in 
1814:. Kev. Calvin Colton is recorded as stated suj)- 
plj' from 1815 to ]817. There were also one or two 
neigiiboring preachers who occasionally . tilled the 
pnlpiL during the same time. 

In July, 1818, Kev. Stephen Saunders was duly 
ordained and installed as pastor of Snow Hill, Pitts 
Creek, and Rehoboth churches. He was a nntive of 
Connecticut, and possibly the difference in climate 
and social condi«tions may have resulted in shoi-tening 
his stay, for he resigned and returned North in 
October, 1819. 

In April, 1820, Rev. Thomas B. Balch came from 
tiie District of Columbia, and was installed pastor of 
the three churches. He was a young man, in iiis 
27th year, wiien he entered upon the charge, and was 
a fine prencher, and a man gi-eatly beloved by his 
people. He was, however, not at all strong, and a 
great sufferer from asthma. Those who remember 
him say he would frequently have to lie down after 
preaching.. It would seem that, during his pastoi-.ite, 
the old Rehoboth church, which had become some- 
what dilapidated, was re[)aired and made quite com- 
fortable. ^\'hile the C(jngregations were good, the 
membership remained small. In 1822 Mr. I?alch's 
health became so bad that he was obliged to take a 
temporaiy leave of absence. While thus away. Rev. 
Jlenry Blatchford, a voung Englishman by biilh, one 
of Princeton's lirst students, came to supply all four 
of tiie churches — Snow Hill, Pitts Creek, Reli()l)oth 
and Manokin. JMr. Spence describes his sermoiis as 
able^ pungent, and searching making very deep im- 
l)ressions. He says "I never knew a minister who 
gained more rapidly upon the affeflions of those 
wiiom he taught publicly : but especially of tho^i-q 



17 

\\itli wJiom ]]e mingled in social inleiconrse. A 
fiiend uho had known Inm irinch longer th.-m T, 
wrote: 'All who knew him loved him.'" "His le- 
markable mini.sti-y was to conlinne onl^' a little ()\oy 
three months. He pieaclied his tij-sl sermon in June, 
his last in Angust,and died l:^.e])t. 7, 18:22, in the 
juime of his young manhood. His death siiried and 
awed the whole community, and the funeral at 
Princess Anne was attended hy an immense throng 
filled with solemnity and tenderness. An Ei)iscoi)al 
cleriiyman , assisted by two Melliodist iiastois , con- 
ducted the heautiful and impressive ceremonies. 
His sudden death, while so f;ir away from iiis fatjier 
and mothei', wife and children nnd early friends, 
aioused the sympathies of all, and botii the s])eal<ers 
and their Jienrers wept. One speaker heg;in his ;id- 
dress hy saying: "It has been, and is, n^y pra_\er to 
die as ouj- hiother lias died ; to be called home while 
busily engaged doing my Master's work.'' '! he 
\)eauiiful white marble tomb, erected to his njcmory 
by the four congregations, bs now dark with weather 
stains, bioken, and almost illegible; but tlie memory 
of his saintly life will long remain with those to whom 
he broke the bread of life. Itwasa.bout this tin;e, 
with the bnrinng of ])r. Balch's house and libinry, 
that the Tresbyteiian chuich lost those })riceless 
treasures, — the portiaits of Francis IMakemie and his 
wife and the old Ivchoboth session book. 'J'he only 
thing we know of the contents of that session bo<d< 
is contained in a note from Eev. A J)e Witt, pa.- lor 
at l.ewes in J'S;57, in which he says: '"By an extract 
lakfMi from the session book of Kehoboth, fSonicrscL 
county, ftid.. by the Kev. Joseph Copse, it a])pears 
tiiai. the Rev. John 'bhomson was ordained at. Bevves- 
tuwii in 1717.'' This extract was made in 1822. The 



IN 

})ic>-ent records be.ui 11 in 1841). A (lescripiion ofihe 
C()n(Iiti<»ii of llehobotii town jiiul clmrcli in JSIiO. or 
jibont tlie close of Or, Ijulch's u;istor;iie, is fnrnislied 
lis froiri the pen of or.eof onr noted jonrnjilistic 
writers, who liad spent a part of his boyhood in this 
county. From it we learn thai the little hairilet 
was fast ^oiiig to docny. Xolrjice i-erriained of the 
County jail, Imilt there in 1701. The old tjivern 
was still open, bnt the place w;is lii<e a deserted vil- 
lage The road r;in to the b.iiik of the I'ocoinoke 
river, where a ferry was still kept up to the opposite 
shore and to Virginia. The Methodist and J*aniist 
chiirches had not yet been built, and the old Epi.-co- 
jial church, erected in ITSTi, and a fine, hirge edifice, 
is s[)oken of already as a "deserted tetnjde," where 
owl and bat inhabit. Ji is said its entire congrega- 
tion could be assembled in a single |iew, and service 
was held in it on 1 3' once a year. The olhei" brick 
building. Uehoboth Presbyterian church was in b->'- 
tor rc^pair abhough not the corn lo!tal»le structure 
V.I! bin that ii is today. As a( first arranr:cd. the 
ceiling went, up into the gable, onlv ending in a 
sliL'hr rounded arch, inssiead of a point Whelhfr 
our ,-t urdy aiicesU)rs could bear cold better tb.-m we, 
is not known, but it seems liisel> that they sal and 
suffered in silence. Jn lalei days a lemonstrance 
was raised against the cold draughts that so seriously 
affected tiie minister's already delicate heallh. In 
consequence, the ceiling was lowered and squared, 
and, for the time, the two narrow gallaries in the 
ends of the (diuridi were boarded up. and left in 
obscurity, ent irely separated from the main room of 
thechuich. J n (his way tlic buildii g was rendered 
fairly com foitable, as Irving Spencc tells us. The 
stJitely, high-backed, four sided pews, ami an. oki- 



tiisitionfcl piiipit half Wiiy lip to ilici ('eilin^^ Woi-© 
Still retniiied, together with some uncouth .q(oves 
burning wood, thiit not onl3' i)roved ineffeclive 
ngainst cold, hut sometimes smoked at such a rate as 
to destroy the eft'ectof the sermon. The congregation 
Leathered here, whicii once had filled the church, Inid 
jiovv dwindled away to about iifty persons. Death 
and removal luid been busy in this little flock, and to 
tliese unfavorable influences wei'e soon to l^e added 
the widespread financial disti-ess, and the Old and New 
school dissension in the church. 

Strange to say, the peiiod of about eighteen years 
which follows lias been tiie one about which it has 
been most difficult to get satisfactory information. 
The recollections of tije oldei' members are somewhat 
contradictory. Letteis and written record? seem to 
have perished in the flames at various times, and tlie 
comparative unimportance of the oi»ce floui-ishing 
town adds to the [)erplexitv. The church was now 
so weakened as not to be included in the c;ills extend- 
ed to those who included it among their })reacliing 
stations. Souietimes, especially in stormy weather, 
no service would be held for sevei'al months. In 
spite of this, the neighboring pastors, on both sides, 
seemed tutrj^ to cherish old llehoboth and frequently 
preached there, and during at least i)art of the time, 
the old church had a minister of its own. The wr'ter 
is assured iluit, although the ministers at Pitts Creek, 
Revs. Coinelins IJ. Al ustard and James J, Gralf fre- 
quently Jield services at liehoboth, the chui'ch was 
lather considered to be attached to the Princess Anne 
chiU'ge. In this way it was under tlie cai-e of Hew 
Robert I\I . Laird from 1830 to 1832. lu 1833. Rev. 
Geoige \V. Kennedy, then a young man 2(3 years of 
age, took charL,e of the Rehoboth chuich as his sole 



20 

li-'ld of work, juul oontinned there until tlie Inttei' 
lurt of 183(>. At some time vv'thiii the next few 
yCMfs, three men of grent prominence in the cliuich, 
nil nfterwurcl iNFoderiitors of tlie General Assembly, 
visited the old field at. varions times, in recognition 
of its true historic [)osition , and {)reached there. 
Tnese men were Revs. Robert J. Breckenridge, D.D., 
lil. I)., Albert Harnes, and Cortlandt Van Jlens- 
selaer, D.I) ; and the older heads still speak of the 
great thrones that uathered to liear them. About 
this time the t)Id church became a subject of the con- 
tioversies of tlie period, and the noticesof it in periodi- 
cal literatui'e are colored b\' that fact. 

From 3837 to 1841, llev. Eliplielet Bosworth 
ministered to tlie Rehoboth church, lie had several 
other charges, and weiit about fr()m one to another 
like a circuit rider, lie was a worker, and devoted 
himself to liis clinrches, Tho-e who remetnber him 
ii:\y he w.is a hard driver. 

From 1812 to 1819 it appears that Rev. Theodore 
W. Simpson preached at Jlehoboth occasionally and 
that in this he was assisted at times by Rev. James 
J. (. I raff, [)ast()r at Snow Hill and Pitts Creek. At 
this lime the church was in a feeble condition, and 
if any records were kept they are lost. 

In October, 1819, Rev. James L. Vail mdigham, 
D.D., Lf.^. 1)., bei^an [)reaching at Manoki.i jind Re- 
hoboth. The litile flock at Rehoboth had by this 
time been reduced to only eight communicants, 
while the entire congregation numbered between 
thirty and forty. Captain WhitLington Folic and 
Commodore John Dryden, venerable and beloved 
men. were the elders; one being 85, the other 80 
years of age. February 17, 18r)0, Dr. Vallandigham 
was elected pastor, and installed July Ith, following. 



21 

Ivcv. L. IT. Ciirjstiari preached , Rev. Dr. E. Harrison 
cluirgcd tlic pastor, ;i!)(l Kev. J. M. Olni.slead chai-Liod 
tlie people. Isaac II. Drydcti and Wm. C. Whitting- 
toii woie oidained .and installed elders July J.tii, ISTj^. 
In Jnly IST)!, tJie chmcl) was rejiaired at an expen.se 
of !f;7(J0, of winch ."f'-iOO was raised l>y the i)eop]e, and 
tiie remainder ecjllected by the pastor in Baltimore 
and Phiiadeliihia. Ihe juilpit was lowered and the 
.galleries ieo[)ened. Dr. \'allandigham oi-ganizecl a 
Sabbath school, jiiid- taught the Bible class. His 
ministry was blest (o liie oliurcli in n^any wa3's. He 
left the little church, through his wife's ill health, 
and was nuicii beloved and legretted. Under lii.s. care, 
the membership had doubled, there being IG enrolled 
when he left. Bev. Di". X'alinndigham is to-day an 
hcuioied member of l})e J're.sbytery of Xew Castle, 
being the oldest r.ctive minister on its roll. His 
advanced years rest lightly upon him, and he is an 
interesting and foicible speaker. He has had but tiie 
two pastorates — at Rehoboiji and IManokin, and at 
the Head of Christiana Chuich, where he was pastor 
for more than 40 years. His ministry has been bless- 
ed with great revivals, at one of which over 140 were 
received on confession of faith at one time. He is a 
staunch adherent to the Calvinistic doctrines of the 
Westminster Confession of Faith and Catecliisms, and 
declares that tiie study of the Scri[)tures and the 
experiences of his long mini^try have only served to 
contiim his conviction as to their truth. 

J>rc Yallandigham left the chuich in a most favora- 
ble condition for growth, but once more political 
agitation over the slavery cpiestion and the approach 
of \vari)ioved serious hindrances When Bev, Austi:i 
C. Heaton, D.D.,cnme to Behoboth and Manokin in 
ISof), his vigorous ministry soon .improved thecondi- 



tlon cti the ohuvdh, sf> tljftt within a fo^v yeuj«s Ijb f^U 
that some youiiji- iniiiiKter might be placed in tiie 
cliarge, nnd hisattentioii gi\en to tiie Manokin church 
alone. Dr. Heaten was a general favorite with the 
Rehoboth people, and seemed at one time about to 
form a closer, tenderer tie, by marriage with one of 
the flock, but the yoiuig lady to whom he was betroth- 
ed was taken away by deatii. This lady, Miss Eliza- 
beth Collins, was the daughter of tlie elder Stephen 
Collins, to whom we have formerly referred — the 
child of his old age. The line silver communion set 
now used at liehoboth church was the gift of Miss Col- 
lins. 

In 18G2, a young licentiate, Mr. John 11. McKel- 
way, supplied the liehoboth pulpit for a few months, 
but was not called. He was followed by Rev. Thomas 
C. Anderson wlio became pastor of the Rehoboth 
church in May, 1802. and continued there until 1864, 
when he resigned. The church was at this time 
about at a standstill. There were only about 20 mem- 
bers, and the congregations were quite small. In 
June, 1801, Eraersoti Graff Polk was ordained to tlie 
eldership, and removing his residence to Pocomoke 
about tiiat lime, he secured the services of Rev. 
Joseph L. Polk, Ph.D., the pastor of tlie church 
tliere. Dr. Polk continued to officiate at Rehoboth 
from 1865 until he resigned the charge in 1877, and 
liis pastoral work in the little flock is remembered 
with gratitude. He was followed by Rev. Littleton 
P. Bowen, D.D., who continued in charge from 1878 to 
1880. Dr. Powen is spoken of as preaching with tiie 
glowing fervor of an evangelist, and if his ministry 
there had been more extended tiie churcii would 
surely iiave grown. Moreover, lie appreciated tlie 
iiistoric position of his cliarge, and by ins careful and 



23 

painstaking investigations he has done more tiian any 
other to restore Rehoboth to her liglitful j)]ace. He 
was followed by Rev. James Conway, D.D., Reho- 
both having now been grouped with Pitts Creek by 
the Presbytery. Dr. Conway remained only until 
1882. His oratorical ability and genial Scottish 
ways are often spoken of by members of the congre- 
gation, 

These frequent changes, with the vacant intervals, 
had still further reduced the congregations, so that 
when Rev. Wm. H. Woolverton came to the charge 
in 1883, he found it struggling for existence. It must 
not in any way be wondered at, that the people al- 
most lost hope concerning the future of the church. 
'1 he church is eigiit miles from Pocomoke, and to 
take that ride on a cold day, and then attempt to 
pieach in that great, cold, barn-like structure, to less 
than a dozen shivering people, was very discouraging, 
to say the least. The sleepers beneath liad rotted 
away so that the floor was sinking; and the many 
windows and doors letting in drau^iits, and thegieat 
torrents of cold air that poured down from the gal- 
lei'ies, added to the gen.eral discomfort. In 188(3, 
when Mr. Woolverton, to the great sorrow of his peo- 
ple, accepted a call to another charge, the condition 
of things at Rehoboth demanded an entire renovatioq 
of the church. 

For eighteen months both churches remained witli-r 
out a pastor, and in that peiiod Elder E. H. Polk 
carried out liis [)hin for the preservation of Rehoboth. 
He had previously been so earnest, and persistent in 
])leading the cause of his l>e!oved chin-c!i l)efore 
Piesbytery, and {jghtjug her battles wiien lise I'resby- 
. tery were abnpst deterniined to abandon tiie iiekb^ 
that the piernbers had begun to gall him "that man 



24 

from Jleliobolli." He went l)ef()re I'res])yfery and 
Synod once more, nnd set his cnnse fortii i?i sncii m 
n;iy its to ol)t;iin from the ^^ynod of Bahimoro $050 
for the rep.iiriiiij^ uf tlie old cdiu rcli , lo which ihe 
little liock , awakened to new Jiopes, added the same 
amount. With this repairs were hegun, tiiodernizinj^ 
the interior of the church, and rendering it thoiongh- 
]y comfortable. Tlie galleries were i-emoved, ceili: g 
lowered, flooring renewed, a vestihule .^et off. and 
the ten windows made iriemorials to departed officers 
and members. This was in June 18S8, when i!ie 
writer of this sketcii came into ih.e pastoral chai-ge of 
liie (wo churches of Pitts Ci'eek and Itehoboth. The 
churcii was opened and re.dedicaied to the service of 
'God in an all day meeting held duly 1, 1888. The pas- 
tor was assisted by Rev. Jas. (yonway. D.l).. oneof the 
former pastors. Dr. ('onway i)reached in iJic morn- 
ing, and. in the afternoon, in a giaceful and elo- 
quent manner unveiled a n^emorial tablet to Francis 
INIakemie , set in the wall above the pulpit. The 
church was crowded to the doors, and some outside 
were unable to gain admittance. There were then only 
2U iriembers, although from that time the congreg.a- 
tions began to improve. A growing religious interesli 
led ti)e pastor, in November 18S8, to hold a series of 
gospel meetings. The results were most gratifung, 
20 being added to the church. Since then special 
meetings have been held nearly every year, with 
good rcsultSt Ai^ain, in 1803, there was a sweeping 
revival and 23 were added. Jn all this period tliere 
has been steady growth, the membership reaching *.)0, 
with a Sabbath school of 125 meml)ers , and a 
Christian Endeavor Society with 20 mend)ers. In 
A\ ril INDI, New ("astle I'reshylery, iiiceting at I'oco- 
iDoko. came down the river )>y steamer, and vi.-ircd 



25 

the liistoric s{)Ot, listening (o a most, eloquent address 
by Rev. Lafnyelte Marks, D. D.. of Wilininutoi., Del. 
Tliis is t])e orly time New Casile Presbyteiy lias 
been there, althouuli the Presbytery of Pewes has 
frequently met at Ilehohoth. 

In October 181)() , the 213th annivere-ary of the 
church was celebrated with appioi)riate exercises , 
although a severe storm sadly interfered with the 
intended program. The interior of the chuich had 
been neatly frescoed, the seating grained in oak, and 
a new carpet laid. Two former pastors, llevs. .lames 
2j. Vailandigham, D.i) , LL. D., and Josepli L. 
Polk, I'h.D., were present and delivered able and 
interesting addiesses. Dr. Vailandigham is the oldest 
living pastor of the church. Rev. T. P. Bowen, I). 
])., sent a letter of congratulation which was after- 
wards lead from the [)ulpit. 

'i lie memorial lablet nrentioned, which is thought 
to be the only one erected to Makemie, reads as follows : 

To 
FRANCIS MAKEMIE, 

FATIIEK OF THE 

Amekicax Pjiesryterian Ciinicii. 

REHOBOTH. 

His First and Favorite Child : 

foujS'ded a. t). 1683. 



These Sacred Gronnds were 

Given by Him. 

He said: 

" Evci-ytliing should tend Heavenward." 

The session of the church at ])resent are Messrs, 
E. G. Polk , E. IS. Bruughtyn and R. \V. Adams. Kl^ 



20 

der Alex. Uoberlson was ieirK)ved hydentlj this j'e;ir. 
The othei- faiihfiil oiiicers liave united in coiriiriaiid- 
ing ihe fidelity and zeal of Mr. Polk. wIjo has now 
been in tlie eldeishi]) for nearly l]3 years, and but for 
whom tlie light of this ancient sanctuniy would at 
one lime have been e.x'tinguished. 

Tl)e congregation at l^ehobotli averages two hundred. 
E ven tiie numbers of other chinches around it take 
a pride in its long Iiisfory, dating frou) the reign of 
King (yliarles Stuart (he Second. The members are 
widely scatteied over (he country, making a field 9 
miles broad by over 20 miles Icmg. Sonie of (he 
membeis drive regularly 1") miles to church, and 
otheis walk 3 or 4 miles. With two othei- good sized 
congregations, (lie pa!=tor finds a bicycle a necessity 
in getting fiom phice to place. But the field is 
nijinifestly too large lor one man ; while (he people, 
though showing genuine Presbyterian perseverance 
and plucdc. are too poor to suppoi't a ])astor unaided. 
For such reasons tlie old field comes before our gre;it 
church with an appeal which sliould be Jie;iid be- 
cause of its justice. No other church, e.xcept (hat at 
Jamaica, iias documen(ary evidence of i(s exis(ence 
At the early d;ite. 1083, from which Rehoboth begins 
Ijer ascertained history; and, after careful reading, 
we feel that J)r. McDonald iias failed to jnake out 
that the Jamaica church \v;is c'early a Presbyterian 
church until some j'ears al(er the time (ha( Ahikemie 
had founded Kehoboth. Our great Cliurch believes 
th;it a historic value is a real value. Kehoboth Juid 
all the points of Presbyterian government — parity 
of tlie minisdy, iiiling elders, and subjection to 
church (•our(s of .ippeal — from (he beuinning. \Qt 
more, she was (he Founder's chinch — his favorite 
charge, Kemembeiing the gieatwork of hiin. whose 



ar 



yemains )\& liuried to-duy in uu uniJtni'koci t;i'nv6 
across the river fi'um hl^ old chavye, will not tiio 
great Presbyterian ohiii'iih, out of gratitude, place 
this little church beyond the fear of neglect, by mu 
endowment, and erect a suitable monument to 
Francis jMakomie tliere, upon the very ground which 
lie gave to be used by Presbyterians ''and none else" 
forever? 



28 

. LIST OF 
REHOBOTH MINISTERS. 



1(183—1897. 



1 G83-1 (ISO — Francis Makemie. 

1686-lf;89— William Trail. 

1690-1708— Francis .Makomio. 

1708-1717 — Tohn Henry. 

1717-1722 — Tohn Hampton. 

1723-1734- William Stewart. 

1735-1741— J'atrick (Jlascow. 

1747-1757— John Hambleton. 

1758-1703— ITuo-h Ilenrv. 

1764-1779— Jacob Ker. ^ 

1779-1811— Samnel McMaster. 

1796 —John Collins. 

1813-1814— Stnart Williamson. 

1815-1817— Calvin Colton. 

1818-1819— Stephen Saunders. 

1820-1829- Thomas l*>. Balch, D.D. 

1822 -Henry Hlatchford. 

1830-1832— ilobert M. Laird. 

1S33-1836— Oeorire W. Kennedy, D.D. 

]S37-1841 — Kliphelet Jk)swortli. 

1842-1849— Theodore W. Simpson. 

1849-1 853--James F. Vallandio-ham, D.D., IJ.. D. 

1855-1861— Austin C. HeatonJ).!). 

1862-1864— Thomas C. Anderson. 

1865-1877— Joseph F. I'olk, Ph. D. 

1 878-1 8S0-Littleton 1\ Ho wen, D.D. 



29 



List of Rehabofh Ministers. — ContiuKCiL 

ISSl-lSS^—Jcinies (Joiiwav, 0.!). 
1883-1880— William IT. \Voolverton. 
1888-.1807— John Sinionsoii Tlowk, D.I). 



AUTHORITIES CONSULTED. 

American Presbyter"aiiism— 0. A. Hi'iggs, D.D, 
Annals of the American Piilpit.^-Wm. B. Sprague, 

D.I). 
Catholic and Puritan Settlers of Maryland. — A. P. 

Dennis, Ph. D. 
Ohi^plains and Cler2:y of the Revolution. — J. T. 

Head ley. 
Cliristian Leaders of tiie Last Century. — -Pev. J. 

C. Ryle, B. A, 
Constitutional History of the Presbyterian Church, 

U. 8. A.— Charles Hodge, DA). 
Diary of Mary Spence, Snow Hill. 1779-17S2. 
Days of Makemie, 1G80-1708.— L. P. Bowen, D.D. 
Early Presbyterianism in Maryland. — Rev. J. W. 

Mcllvain. 
Edinburgh Review. (Old files.) 
Epitome of Presbyterian Church History to 1S07. 

Wm. H. Roberts, D. D. 
Ceneral History of Virginia. — Capt. John Smith, 
Historical Essays. — Cortlandt Va n Rensselaer, 

D.D. 
History of England. — T. B. Macaulay. 
History of the English People. — J. R. Creen,M. A. 
History of New Castle Presbytery, by Drs. Valla n- 

digham and Cay ley. 
History of the Presbyterian Church in America. — 

irchard Webster. 



31 

History of the Presbyterian Church in t]ie 1'. S. 

A.— E. H. Gillett; 
History of the Rise, Progress, Genius, and C'harac- 

ter of American Presbyterianism. — Wm. Hill, 

DA). 
History of Pocomoke City. — Pev. James Murray. 
History of the United States. — George Bancroft. 
Laws of Mary hind. 
Letters on the Early History of the Presbyterian 

Cliurch. — L'ving Spence. 
Makemie's Narratiyeof a New and Unusual Ameii- 

can Imprisonment. 

Makemie's WilL 

Methodism of the Peninsula. — Kev. E. W. Todd. 
Minutes of the General Presbytery, Synod, and 
General Assembly. 

Old Churches, Ministers, and Families of \'irginia. 

— Bishop Meade. 
Old Land Patents, owned by Mr. E. W. McMaster, 

Somerset county, Md. 
Old Tombstones vt and near PehoboLh. 

Presbyterianism. Article in E ncyc. Britannica. C. 

A. Briggs, D. D, 
Old Family Letters. 
Presbyterian Peview. — (Old hies.) 
]*resbyterians. — George P. Hays, D.I). 
Pecords of Somerset, Accomack, and Worcester* 

counties. 
Se.<si()n Books of Snow Hill, Pitts Creek, lAhinokin, 

jind Pehoboth Churches. 
Sketch of Pey. Sunri McMaster.-Johu S. McMustej-. 



32 



Spirits of the Past. A Chapter. — (Jeorge A. 

Town send. 
Tlie Scottish J^nlnit from the lieformation. — AVm. 

M. Taylor, D.j). 
The Tarson of the JsUmds. — liev. Adam Wallace. 
Two Centnries of History of the Pi-esbyterian 

Church of Jamaica. — J. M. Macdonald. 



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